Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/APXe9NaJ-B8

Those with O positive blood are 20% less likely to test positive for the coronavirus and AB blood 44% less likely.  Those with A positive blood are 38% more likely to be positive.  The Biomedical Informatics unit at Columbia has just pre-published this data after their analysis of over 1500 patients seen at two New York City hospitals.

Various blood groups only only had statistical associations with viral positivity and not with disease severity, need for intubation, or risk of death from CoVid19 disease.

These findings are generally consistent with those I reported from Chinese studies.  The exception: Chinese with the rare AB blood had a greater risk of CoVid positivity.  

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20058073v1.full.pdf

#covid19 #coronavirus #abogroup #bloodgroup

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/APXe9NaJ-B8

Those with O positive blood are 20% less likely to test positive for the coronavirus and AB blood 44% less likely.  Those with A positive blood are 38% more likely to be positive.  The Biomedical Informatics unit at Columbia has just pre-published this data after their analysis of over 1500 patients seen at two New York City hospitals.

Various blood groups only only had statistical associations with viral positivity and not with disease severity, need for intubation, or risk of death from CoVid19 disease.

These findings are generally consistent with those I reported from Chinese studies.  The exception: Chinese with the rare AB blood had a greater risk of CoVid positivity.  

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20058073v1.full.pdf

#covid19 #coronavirus #abogroup #bloodgroup

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/J0XoqkE547U

ACE inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blocking medications appear to help hypertensive patients fightCoVid19 infections.  Chinese investigators now report a series of 564 hospitalized CoVid19 patients and British researchers a series of 205.

Those Chinese on the angiotensin-related medications were 5 times less likely to develop a severe case of pneumonia. The Brits on ACE inhibitors were half as likely to require critical care support or to die of their CoVid disease.

The investigators conclude that those hypertensive patients with CoVid19 infections should not be switched off angiotensin drugs.  On the other hand, they stop short of recommending their use as therapeutic agents for infected patients with treatable high blood pressure.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20057539v1

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.07.20056788v1.full.pdf

#covid19 #coronavirus #hypertension #angiotensin #aceinhibitor #angiotensinreceptorblocker

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/J0XoqkE547U

ACE inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blocking medications appear to help hypertensive patients fightCoVid19 infections.  Chinese investigators now report a series of 564 hospitalized CoVid19 patients and British researchers a series of 205.

Those Chinese on the angiotensin-related medications were 5 times less likely to develop a severe case of pneumonia. The Brits on ACE inhibitors were half as likely to require critical care support or to die of their CoVid disease.

The investigators conclude that those hypertensive patients with CoVid19 infections should not be switched off angiotensin drugs.  On the other hand, they stop short of recommending their use as therapeutic agents for infected patients with treatable high blood pressure.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.08.20057539v1

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.07.20056788v1.full.pdf

#covid19 #coronavirus #hypertension #angiotensin #aceinhibitor #angiotensinreceptorblocker

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/LdtmtKWujfc

The viral RNA, polymerase blocker remdesivir drives better oxygenation for two-thirds of patients with life-threatening CoVid19 infections.  The drug improves survival of ventilator-dependent patients by anywhere from 40 to 84%

A global collaborative study, led by researchers at LA’s Cedar-Sinai Hospital, followed 53 patients though to completion of a 10 day iv remdesivir course at the outset of a 4 week observation period.  The drug permitted 57% of those on ventilators to be extubated and 75% of those on ECMO to come off it.  Overall, 84% of patients improved on the drug.

This preliminary study provides hope that severe CoVid19 disease may be managed to a successful outcome.

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2007016?query=C19&cid=DM89880_NEJM_COVID-19_Newsletter&bid=181982010

#covid19 #coronavirus #remdesivir

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/LdtmtKWujfc

The viral RNA, polymerase blocker remdesivir drives better oxygenation for two-thirds of patients with life-threatening CoVid19 infections.  The drug improves survival of ventilator-dependent patients by anywhere from 40 to 84%

A global collaborative study, led by researchers at LA’s Cedar-Sinai Hospital, followed 53 patients though to completion of a 10 day iv remdesivir course at the outset of a 4 week observation period.  The drug permitted 57% of those on ventilators to be extubated and 75% of those on ECMO to come off it.  Overall, 84% of patients improved on the drug.

This preliminary study provides hope that severe CoVid19 disease may be managed to a successful outcome.

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2007016?query=C19&cid=DM89880_NEJM_COVID-19_Newsletter&bid=181982010

#covid19 #coronavirus #remdesivir

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Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/IbrJaVthGac

Just how well do face masks work to block the spread of virus.  Researchers from Case-Western U and Ohio State University studied the dispersion of artificially-created droplets through cloth masks of various designs mimicking an infected sneeze.

A single layered mask constructed of various fabric types reduce the droplet spread to less than 1 foot.  A double layered mask cut the droplet dispersion by a factor of two-thirds down to 4 inches.

Problem is, viruses spread in aerosols that travel further than droplets and through masks.  Multiple cloth layers offer more but not complete protection.  You must depend on physical distancing and an abundance of caution to fill the void.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.07.20045617v1

#covid19 #coronavirus #mask #fabric #aerosol

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Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/IbrJaVthGac

Just how well do face masks work to block the spread of virus.  Researchers from Case-Western U and Ohio State University studied the dispersion of artificially-created droplets through cloth masks of various designs mimicking an infected sneeze.

A single layered mask constructed of various fabric types reduce the droplet spread to less than 1 foot.  A double layered mask cut the droplet dispersion by a factor of two-thirds down to 4 inches.

Problem is, viruses spread in aerosols that travel further than droplets and through masks.  Multiple cloth layers offer more but not complete protection.  You must depend on physical distancing and an abundance of caution to fill the void.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.07.20045617v1

#covid19 #coronavirus #mask #fabric #aerosol

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/O52Z-1S5OUg

CoVid19 aerosols from an unknowingly infected neighbor can easily infect you as you shop or walk.  Finnish researchers, studying the production and spread of virus-laden microdroplets, show that a single cough generates a cloud of virus aerosol that can waft for minutes over several aisles in a grocery store.  The cough also sprinkles nearly shelves and the floor with live virus.

In other reports, I’ve told you that simple cotton masks or even surgical masks do not block virus from an infected person.   Distance as far as you can, and use a multilayered mask.  When the PPE supply for first responders eventually improves, go for N95 or KN95 masks.

https://www.aalto.fi/en/news/researchers-modelling-the-spread-of-the-coronavirus-emphasise-the-importance-of-avoiding-busy

#covid19 #coronavirus #aerosol #mask

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/O52Z-1S5OUg

CoVid19 aerosols from an unknowingly infected neighbor can easily infect you as you shop or walk.  Finnish researchers, studying the production and spread of virus-laden microdroplets, show that a single cough generates a cloud of virus aerosol that can waft for minutes over several aisles in a grocery store.  The cough also sprinkles nearly shelves and the floor with live virus.

In other reports, I’ve told you that simple cotton masks or even surgical masks do not block virus from an infected person.   Distance as far as you can, and use a multilayered mask.  When the PPE supply for first responders eventually improves, go for N95 or KN95 masks.

https://www.aalto.fi/en/news/researchers-modelling-the-spread-of-the-coronavirus-emphasise-the-importance-of-avoiding-busy

#covid19 #coronavirus #aerosol #mask